Strategic Plan 2012-2014

VISION
Together. One card. One click.

MISSION
Strengthening communities through collaboration.

VALUES
Cooperation and Collaboration: We embrace diverse interests and facilitate active participation in our activities.
Respect: We honour diversity in an atmosphere of inclusion and candour.
Innovation: We are catalyst for positive change and continuously seek opportunities to enhance library services.
Learning: We support the development of a skilled and knowledgable library community.
Accountability: We practice openness, and are responsive to the evolving needs of the Alberta library community.

Engage
The Alberta Library cultivates member commitment by engaging the community to create dynamic library services for Albertans.

Strategies
  1. Build relationships with the broader library community to enhance partnerships and ultimately grow memberships.
  2. Examine TAL's decision making processes to ensure they are timely, flexible, and representative of the wishes of TAL's membership.
  3. Engage TAL members by providing opportunities to explore emerging issues and technologies.
  4. Cooperate with TAL members and partners to design and implement innovative programs and services.

Definitions

  • Broader library community: Refers to TAL members and those eligible to be TAL members.
  • Enhance partnerships: Could allow contract services to be pursued with schools and others. Also could refer to further cooperation with various government ministries whose goals may coincide with those of TAL members. The plan (hope) would be that contracts with schools woud lead to membership.
  • Providing opportunities to explore emerging issues and technologies: Examples could include facilitated symposia, conferences, or training.
  • Cooperate: Means working with members and partners - where such cooperation is desired.

Connect
The Alberta Library acts as a focal point for collaboration so that Albertans enjoy easy access to all library resources.

Strategies
  1. Implement a seamless "one-card" system.
  2. Implement a seamless province-wide discovery tool.
  3. Work with TAL members and partners to enhance the patron initiated request and delivery process.
  4. Explore new models for licensing electronic resources.

Definitions

  • "One-card": Patrons have one libraray card in their wallet that enables them to borrow beyond their home institution. The one card would likely be the TAL member's own library card, although technological change may mean that it is not actually a "card".
  • Discovery tool: The means by which patrons can search all TAL member libraries and find the resources they are looking for, determine their availability, request if available, and track the status of their request.
  • New models for licensing electronic resources: Other ways of pursuing licensing for the community (eg. sector cores, province-wide licenses).

Inspire
The Alberta Library champions the value of TAL membership to libraries and the value of libraries to Albertans.

Strategies
  1. Articulate and communicate TAL's value and benefits.
  2. Articulate and communicate the value of libraries.
  3. Take a leadership role in advocating for libraries and supporting libraries in their advocacy efforts.
  4. Ensure TAL's sustainability.

Definitions

  • Articulate: To formulate and describe TAL's value and benefits.
  • Communicate: To communicate the above in the appropriate manner to the appropriate audience (eg. members, partners, government, potential partners, etc.)
  • Advocating for libraries: Examples would be presentations to the govenment ADM Committee or presentations to other government bodies (eg. cabinet policy committees, AUMA).
  • Supporting libraries in their advocacy efforts: Where desired, support libraries in their advocacy efforts.
  • TAL's sustainability: Refers to more than just financial sustainability; also refers to TAL's ability to sustain the initiatives it undertakes, for example human or technology resources.

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